Electric switch



Jan. 12, 1937. K Q ALUSQN 2,067,557

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 28, 1935 mi@ L WJ@ Patented Jan.f 1i2,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFTlC'zlaA Kennethy dammmnrnnmn Heights. nl., usignor tol Oak lilmmfaoturing` Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois 1 Application August 28,1936,- Serial No. 98,283; l J v 12 claims. y(c1. zoo-9) This invention relates to an electricvswitch .and particularly to a composite switch wherein one switch has only` a definite on and off movement while the other switch has a greater numberV of definitely indexed positions. The on-and-off switch is of the usual construction and tends to snap into either4k position. The other switch is provided with an indexing mechanism to control the .motion thereof into the several positions. It 1o has been found that the indexing means should be inoperative' in the end position where both switches are operated together as otherwisev the load is too great.

Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a complete switch. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-12 of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 3 is a section along 3--3 of Fig. 2 and showing the complete switch. l

Fig. 4 is a` section along line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

' A shaft I carrying a knob` 2 is rotatively mounted in a bushing 3 having a shoulder portion 4 and a threaded portion 5. The shaft is retained in place by a split washer 6in slot 1 of shaft I at the end of bushing3. Shoulder 4 of bushing 3 supports along its side a metal plate I0.

This plate ilts tightly around the reduced end Il of bushing 43 and is maintained in position by having the bushing material peaned over. Plate Ill extends for substantially 180 degrees and is out 3o out as shown in Fig. 2 to permit an annular strip I5 of suitable insulating material to complete the circular outline of plate Ill. Plate I0 which is `preferably of metal is below strip I5 and the two are rigidly united by rivets I6 and I1. Plate I0 has a tongue I8 extending under insulating strip AI5 which is adapted tolie in a slot of shoulder 4 of bushing 3. 'I'his tongue is bent over at I9 and is adapted to lock the switch against rotation in its mounting. Strip I5 has a plurality o f contacts 20 mounted thereon 'by means of eyelets 2l.- These contacts f comprise oppositely bent jaws 22 and l23 coming` together into two layers of metal 25 forming the body portion of the contact and terminating in a turned up soldering lug-26.

Shafti has its free end 30 reduced `to a iiat-A tened rectangular cross section as shown in Fig. 2.y

A spring arm 3l is slipped over end 36 of -the shaft. The free end oi.' this arm is perforated and supports a bau-bearing a2 which 1s adapted to play overa series of index indentations 33 in plate I6. Above spring 3l an insulating washer 35 is disposed and is adapted to support a rotor 36 away from shaft I by the collar portion 31 on the washer. Above rotor 36 an insulating washer 33 is provided and above that a metallic end washer 33- is disposed. The free end of the shaft may be ilattenedxout to retain the assembly in position.

End plate 39' is provided with a finger 40 bent up parallel to the shaft. It will be Anoted that rotor 36 may have a projecting tongue 40 which may cooperate with a short contact 42.4 The long contact 43 extends farfenough at all times to touchl the body portion gf the rotor itself.

Supported by rivets I6 and I1 is a toggle switch comprising an insulating base 50 having a pivot,

pin 5I therein. Pivotally mounted on pin 5| is an insulating member 52 ca ing a movable contact 53. Disposed on opposite sides of contact 53v are stationary contacts 54 and 55 molded in the base and connected to lugs 56 and 51. Movable member l52 is snapped back and forth by means of a metal member 60 having side extensions 6I and 62v and a tailpiece 63. Piece 63 is connected to a coil spring 64 whose other end bears against a projection 52a in member 52, the interior of this member being cut out to clear the spring and tailpiece. Piece 63 has its opposite sidesbent downwardly to form a pair of spaced ngers 65 and 66. By the oscillation of tailpiece 63 member 52 is snapped back and forth to open or close the switch. In the operation of the-switch the side extensions 6I and 62 of Ametal member 60 cooperate with the sides of base 56 to stop the action of the switch. A stop 61 is punched out of metal d plate Il) to dene one of the limits of rotor travel. It will be noted that plate I0 is provided with rest perforations 33 only in those positions where the on-and-off switch is no longer operated. The

end portion 68 of the track in which ball 32 rides is depressed but not perforated so that the index mechanism is not in any set'position. In this way, when both.switches are operated together as in the end position-it is understood of course that it may be in any intermediate position also-the index mechanism is inoperative and reliance is had upon the indexing of the toggle switch.

It is obvious that this invention yonly applies where the relative indexing torques are comparable to each other.

'I'his application is a continuation in part of my application S. N. 67,629 filed March '1, 1936.

Having described this invention what is claimed is:

1. In combination, an' electric switch having spring means for biasing said switch in either one of two positions, an additional switch having means providing more than two positions, indexl ing means associated with said second switch for setting it in its variouspositions, means for coupling said switches together so that said two switches are operated together with common index positiom. said coupling means being operative only over the two positions oi said nrst switch, and means for rendering inoperative said indexing means on the second switch during the coupling engagement with said rst switch.

2. In combination, an electric snap switch having means providing onlytwo positions, an additional switch having means providing more than two positions, indexing means for said second switch, means for operatively coupling said first switch to said second only in an end position oi' said second switch so that said first switch is operated with said second switch, and means for rendering said indexing means inoperative during the coupling.

3. In combination, an electric switch having means providing more than two positions, a snap switch having means providing only two positions, means for mechanically coupling said two switches together only over the operating range oi' said second switch whereby said yswitches are actuated together and have common positions, and index means for said first switch only and operative only when said two switches are uncoupled.

4. In combination, an electric switch having means providing more than two positions, a snap switch having means providing only two positions, means for mechanically coupling said two switches together only for the last two positions of said first switch whereby said two switches are actuated together andv have two common positions, and index means for said first switch only and operative only from next to the end position to the other end position of said first switch.

5. The construction of claim 4 wherein said index means comprises a spring pressed arm act- .ing on an index plate having indexing depressions therein and wherein said plate has said indexing depressions at all positions of said iirst switch except the iirst mentioned end position.

6. In combination, an electric switch having means providing more than two positions and including a member rotatable about a center, a snap switch having means providing only two positions and including a member rotatable about a center, means for mounting said two switches so that said rotatable members move in substantially parallel intersecting paths, said members being so shaped as to mechanically engage each other only for an extent to operate said snap switch from said other switch, and index means for said first switch only and operative only over those positions of the iirst switch outside of the range oi the second switch.

7. In combination, an electric switch having means providing more than two positions and including a member rotatable about a center, a snap switch having means providing only two positions and including a member rotatable about a center, means for mounting said two switches so that said rotatable members move in substantially parallel intersecting paths, said members being so disposed as to mechanically engage each other sufllciently to operate the snap switch when said other switch is moved between one end position and the adjacent position, and index means for said rst switch only and operative only between the adjacent position and the other end position.

v8. In combination, an electric switch having a stator and rotor, said switch having means providing more than two positions, a snap switch having means providing only two positions, means ior mechanically coupling said two switches together so that when said 'rst switch is moved between two predetermined positions said snap switch is operated, index means for said first switch only, said index means providing maxivmum resistance to change between switch positions. said index means including means for maintaining a constant resistance level low in comparison to maximum index resistance levels over the range in which said snap switch is operated.

9.' In combination, an electric switch having means providing more than two positions, a snap switch having means providing only two positions, coupling means for operating said snap switch when said rst switch is moved between two adjacent positions at one end of its range, indexing means for said first switch only having a continuous index position over said two adjacent switch positions and thereafter having definite index positions for switch positions.

l0. In combination, an electric switch having means providing more than two positions. a snap switch having means providing only two positions, coupling means for operating said snap switch when said first switch is operated between two positions, and indexing means for said first switch only, said indexing means having a continuous index position over said two positions and having definite index positions beyond said two positions.

l1. In combination, one electric switch having means providing a plurality of positions, a second switch having means providing a. greater number of pistons, means including a spring for each switch tending to set the switch in any one of its positions as opposed to intermediate positions, means for coupling said two switches together only over the operating range of the first switch so that operation of said second switch will cause said first switch to operate during the coupling thereof, and means included in said spring inclusive means oi the second switch for rendering said spring means inoperative during the coupling oi' said two switches.

12. In combination, an electric switch having means providing a plurality of positions and having means inclusive of a spring for biasing said switch in any one position, a second switch having means providing a greater number of positions, means for coupling said two switches together only over the operating range of the first switch so that operation of said second switch will cause said first switch to operate, and means inclusive of a spring on said second switch only for biasing said second switch in any of its positions outside of the operating range of the first switch but having no discrimination for postions of the second switch within the operating range of the first switch.

KENNETH C. ALLISON. 

